Services

Louise North Wine Merchant offers more than ‘selling’ wine to restaurants, hotels, and those holding functions and events in Victoria's South West. I like to talk with and listen to my clients and help in other ways – like staff education and wine list development.

We've also just started an Online Retail Shop, so the public can also now enjoy buying local wines.

WINE LIST DEVELOPMENT
A well constructed wine list complements the cuisine and enhances the reputation of the business. While some restaurants - and diners - look to 'old favourites' when buying or ordering wine, my research and experience shows that the many more diners are looking for a food AND wine experience and they would like the opportunity to discover new wines, including those from wineries they may not have heard of before. My 2017 survey of diners in South-West Victoria found that 77% of respondents would like to try wines that they had never tried before when dining at local restaurants.

STAFF EDUCATION
Restaurant staff should know a little about each wine they offer to customers; this enhances the overall experience for the diner and allows them to make a more informed choice. For restaurants, it also means that there is an increased potential for sales if they have staff that are able to provide appropriate guidance to their diners.

My 2017 survey showed that 70% of S-W diners take recommendations from waiting staff when deciding which wine to order. Given this overwhelming percentage, it is important that restaurant staff have a good understanding of the wines on the wine list. They don’t have to be experts or qualified sommeliers! But knowledgeable, passionate service staff are the key to a memorable dining experience.

LNWM offers personalised staff training sessions at your restaurant to help educate your staff to assist customers with their wine selection. Basic training includes: tasting the wines the restaurant has purchased from LNWM for their wine list, and helping staff gather key word details to describe the wine to customers. Other training can include understanding wine varieties, styles, and regions.

EVENTS and FUNCTIONS
If you are a small or large organisation and need wine for your launch or function, LNWM can help. You simply need to have a temporary liquor licence and I can provide a range of local and regional wines at a wholesale price.

SPECIAL DEALS via my NEWSLETTER
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